


rare and sweet as cherry wine

by arttemis



Series: Marvel Holiday Gift Exchange 2018 [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 11:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17120315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arttemis/pseuds/arttemis
Summary: He reaches into his blazer pocket and pulls out a small black box. “I’m gonna propose.”“Youcannotpropose,” Bucky says.-Steve is in love and has bad timing.





	rare and sweet as cherry wine

**Author's Note:**

> Second fic for [heyhawkeyes!](https://heyhawkeyes.tumblr.com/). Sorry it's a little short but I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Merry Christmas!
> 
> EDIT: 399 of you and no one told me about the spelling mistake in the summary. i see how it is

“Buck,” Steve hisses and curls his hand in a ‘come here’ gesture. He’s leaning around the door frame of the kitchen and hopefully only visible to Bucky right now.

Bucky looks up from where he’s wrapping a stack of books in bright red paper with Peggy and Tony and rolls his eyes so hard Steve’s a little concerned it hurts. He makes some excuse to them and stands up. Bucky walks infuriatingly slowly over to the doorway while Steve taps patterns on the ironed fabric of his suit. He’s doing it on purpose.

“Hurry up,” Steve mouths and ducks back around the corner so there’s no chance of him being spotted.

“What?” Bucky says, eyes still on Tony and Peggy in the other room. They’d come over to help with decorating a few hours ago and stayed to wrap. Steve can tell the moment Bucky finally pays attention to him because his eyes go wide and his mouth drops. “ _What,"_ he repeats, voice still hushed but now a tad hysterical _, "the fuck_?”

Steve puts a finger to his lip and shushes him. Bucky makes a noise somewhere between a laugh and a whimper. Steve looks back in the kitchen to make sure they aren’t listening and then back at Bucky. He reaches into his blazer pocket and pulls out a small black box. “I’m gonna propose.”

“You _cannot_ propose,” Bucky says.

“It’s _perfect_ ,” Steve says, voice soft and full of awe. “Peggy always says how much she likes Christmas and you’re here and Tony is here. Someone lit the fireplace–was that Tony? He has _such an eye_ ,” Steve’s never used that phrase in his _life_ but it is _so_ fitting, “for these things. There’s carolers down the street and normally I’d complain about how loud they’re being but I think they’re really helping to set the mood and–”

“Steve,” Bucky interrupts him, grabs his shoulders and leans in close so their noses are almost touching. “Steve, listen to me. You _cannot propose today_.” He shakes him for good measure.

“Why?” Steve asks, he’s starting to get offended but he’s mostly just confused. And happy. Because he’s going to _propose_ and he’s going to get _married_. Married to _Peggy Carter_. “I want to take her last name,” he says before Bucky can tell him why. “Is that weird? Steve _Carter_.” Steve sighs like he’s going to swoon and hearts are going to burst from his eyes.

“ _Jesus_ ," Bucky mutters and looks back to the kitchen. “Don’t propose, okay? Today’s a bad day for it. It’s _Christmas Eve_.”

“That’s the point.” Steve opens the box and tilts it so Bucky can see the ring. “Do you think she’ll like it?”

Bucky looks like he’s going to swallow his tongue. “How much did you spend on that?”

“Love has no price, Buck,” Steve tells him honestly before grinning and taking a look at the ring himself. It’s huge. Diamonds, gold band, engraving to make sure Peggy knows how much Steve loves her, _the works_. “Three paychecks.”

“Fuck. Is that why you stopped contributing to rent, you little _bastard_.” Bucky shakes his head then closes the box and shoves it in Steve’s pocket roughly. “Do not propose, Rogers. That’s an order.”

“I outrank you,” Steve says. He brings a hand up so he can adjust the red rose poking from the breast pocket of his suit. “Do I look alright?”

“Fine,” Bucky snaps. “Do what you want.”

“I’m gonna get married, Buck,” Steve says and knows he’s got a stupid expression on his face.

“I guess,” Bucky says but he’s lost his scowl now.

“Wish me luck?” Steve asks, nervous now.

“You’ll be fine.” Bucky adjusts Steve’s collar, pats his shoulders and nods to himself. “Don’t tell Peggy I let you do this.”

Steve ignores whatever _that_ is meant to mean and walks into the kitchen. He almost trips over his feet. Peggy and Tony aren’t wrapping presents anymore. Instead, Peggy is on one knee in front of the kitchen counter, Tony behind her with a bouquet of red roses in his arms that match the one in Steve’s pocket.

“Peggy?” Steve asks. “What are you doing?” They must have turned down the radio at some point because Steve can’t hear the sound of Mariah Carey’s _All I Want For Christmas_ and it's been playing on repeat for hours now.

“Stevie,” Peggy says, voice almost a whisper. She clears her throat. “I have never loved anyone the way I love you, Stevie. You–You bring out the best in me, which is pretty hard because I thought I already had the best in me out, but, then I met you _and I’m getting off-track_.” Peggy wipes under her eyes and laughs. “I met you, Steve Rogers, and it was like someone shoved a lightning bolt into my chest and in six years that feeling has _never_ gone.”

Steve’s going to cry. He’s going to cry while getting _proposed to_.

“I want you to be my husband and I want us to get a dog. _Dogs_ . At least four. Like we always talked about. I want Tony to be my best man and Bucky yours but I _don’t_ want my parents at the wedding.” Steve doesn’t either. “I want to start the next chapter of my life with _you_.” Peggy digs into her pocket and pulls out a dark blue box. She flips it open with trembling fingers and reveals a golden band. It’s simple and elegant and kind of comically large so Steve _knows_ it’s going to fit. “Stevie, will you marry me?”

“I–” Steve clears his throat because his voice is wet. “Hold on.” He gets down on one knee so he’s mirroring Peggy and pulls out his own ring box. Peggy inhales sharply, Steve can hear the hitch in her breath that means she’s going to cry. He opens it and almost drops it because Peggy _throws_ herself at him so suddenly he has to wrap his arms around her so he doesn’t fall over.

“It’s a yes then?” she asks against his neck, clutching at his suit and creasing it.

“‘Course it’s a yes,” Steve says quietly, head bent and lips pressed to the top of her head.

Bucky says something to Tony and then Steve starts to feel the velvet-softness of rose petals in his hair, on his skin and against his face.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a weakness for happy and healthy relationships. Sue me.
> 
> Let me know if you see any weird formatting errors or spelling/grammar mistakes please!
> 
> Come talk to me about this fic or anything else [on my tumblr!](https://lanternrayner.tumblr.com/)


End file.
